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Welcome to my straight-talking blog based on ten years' experience as a personal trainer
Keep Quiet...and Carry On!
Gyms can be strange places - sometimes because strange people inhabit them!
I'm often amused by people who make a lot of noise when they're working out - particularly when lifting weights.
They grunt, they groan, they bellow, they bawl, they even scream and shout - all in the name of exertion.
These people seem to think the more noise they make, the harder they're working out.
You often catch them taking a sneaky glance around to see if they're attracting attention.
And, if they're not, they make a bit more noise or turn the volume up.
And, guess who the culprit is 99 per cent of the time?
After years of collecting empirical evidence, I have to tell you that it's MEN.
Why this should be the case is not a subject for this blog and years of scientific research might not reveal a defiitive answer, but I hazard a guess that all you female gym-goers out there will know the reason - and it's got nothing to do with testosterone!
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Christmas is a distant memory - as are New Year's resolutions for most people. The gyms were packed until about January 20th, now they're back to normal. You go in at a certain time on a certain day and you see the same people. You see them week in, week out as they work to improve their fitness - both mental and physical. But have you noticed, it's these precise people who are already fit, healthy and within a medically acceptable weight range - and there's a reason for this - and it's called CONSISTENCY.
For long term health and fitness, it's not enough to achieve a particular goal and just stop. Those gains will soon be lost and you'll be back to square one.
No, consistency means creating habits that lead to your desired goals and when you reach those goals, you set new ones and keep going. And when you reach a plateau - which you will - you find ways of re-inventing those goals to carry on improving or, if you're happy with your achievements, maintaining the level you're at.
It really is common sense, but you'd be surprised how many people fail to grasp such a simple concept. Don't let that be you.
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Consistency is Key
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D ​ on't Run Out of Steam
D ​ on't Run Out of Steam
So much has been written about coronavirus and how to keep fit while we're locked down. So much information, so many You Tube videos, so many Instagram posts and so many people to like, follow and watch. It's overwhelming and exhausting - and that's before you've even done any exercise.
My advice is this: find a type/s of exercise that works for you and keep doing it. Change it when you feel your body's got used to it or when it gets boring, The most important thing to do is keep going during this period. Those people who maintain an exercise regime throughout lockdown are the very people who are likely to remain committed when this is all over. They are the people who will stand out and flourish back in the gym/exercise classes and they are the people who will be able to feel proud of themselves from a fitness perspective for a very long time.